Friday, March 24, 2017

Well hey! I'm on spring break so thought I'd update y'all on what I've been reading (and audio book listenting to) so far in 2017!

Young Adult LiteratureThe Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness -- Quick dystopian tale of a boy on New World-- a place where everyone's thoughts are heard in the "noise." All of the women were killed in a war with the Spackle (native creatures to that planet). But then the main character meets a girl who has landed from Old World... and typical everything is not as it seems plot takes over. Eventually they get chased and hunted by the crazy mayor of his town as they try to uncover the truth about New World. I devoured this: fast-paced, mystery unfolded at a perfect rate, action, but NOTHING positive happened and it was only the first of a trilogy: B

The Pact by Jodi Picoult -- Some of my students read this for a choice novel, so I read it too. (Too much sex. I couldn't believe it was "approved" for freshmen.) Told through flashbacks, we try to figure out the truth: did Emily kill herself? Did her boyfriend, Michael, kill her in a suicide pact? The story featured the teen relationship and their parents' relationships; it was fascinating, complex, and unraveled at just the right speed: A-

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak -- Narrated by Death, he follows an orphaned girl named Liesel as she grows up in Nazi Germany. I appreciate that this book focuses on German citizens who weren't fighting in the war instead of the normal Holocaust books. I think it presents a different layer and perspective. Lyrically and beautifully written, by I reread this since some of my students read it as a choice novel. I honestly didn't like it as much this time around, which may because I listened to it? I found myself zoning out more often than not: B-.

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner -- Told from three friends' perspectives and set in the Bible belt of the South, this book examines the ideas of friendship, poverty, and familial expectations. It was hard to read at times because some of the parents were abusive either emotionally or physically, but a powerful story. A-

The Gender Game by Bella Forrest -- Dystopian America has split in two: Patrus, a country run by men where women have no rights and Matrus, a country run by women where men have no rights. The main character is set to be executed for killing two women in self-defense when the government offers her an olive branch: move to Patrus to complete a super secret, and dangerous, spy mission. Of course she falls for a man while trying to navigate the new world, and yet again (like every dystopian novel), realizes things aren't exactly what they seem. Read it in three days though, so I was hooked! Unfortunate it's a trilogy... sometimes I just want the FULL story in ONE book. Is that so much to ask?? B+

Something In Between by Melissa de la Cruz -- A high school senior wins a National Scholarship (full ride to any Ivy League school), but she can't accept it because ... she's in the USA illegally from the Philippines (her parents' work visas expired, but they stayed anyway and didn't tell her). Interesting perspective about illegal immigrants that isn't the typical image portrayed. I liked that part of the story, but then she falls in love with this boy and acted like she was 12 instead of 18, so that annoyed me. C+

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling -ish -- Hated this. I didn't think any characters were true to their characters from the books. D

Salt to the Sea by Ruth Sepetys -- AMAZING WWII novel. Normally I hate historical fiction, but this was great. Just go read it. A+

Non-fictionThe Temperament God Gave Your Spouse by Art Bennett -- If you haven't read this, GO DO IT! I laughed out loud so many times at how accurate the descriptions were of Scott and me. A

The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines -- They're so sweet =) I liked learning their back story! I can't wait for the next season of Fixer Upper to hit Netflix, and we're visiting the silos in July! A-

Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist -- She has such an interesting take on religion, truly a mix of everything! (And so much Catholic thought and quotes from saints and stuff, but she is actually a member of a church her family started 40 years ago...) Nice, quick reminder about how being truly present in our lives is more important than hustling to get things done. B

The Walls are Talking by Abby Johnson -- Multiple abortion workers' stories about their time working in abortion facilities. Eye-opening and heart breaking. A.

Currently Reading:Fearless by Sonia Corbitt (Bible study (ish) book about fear and spiritual warfare)Holding the Universe by Jennifer Niven

I'm always listening to an audio book in the car, plus reading a non-fiction and fiction book at home, which allows me to get through quite a few books!!